I Need You In My Life
by CBloom2
Summary: First White Collar story - just something that came into my head. Just an excuse to hurt the character I like!  Contains some shooting - nothing graphic.
1. Chapter 1

**I Need You In My Life**

**So this is my first foray into the world of Peter and Neal, I usually write Supernatural.**

**I'm quite new to White Collar, but I've caught up and enjoying every minute of it.**

**No spoilers in this story – just comfort, friendship etc. I always find it strange how you seem to want to hurt the character you like the most…**

**I don't own any characters – just play with them now and again.**

**Chapter 1**

"No Peter, it's not there…"

"You told me to skip ahead!"

Neal Caffrey sighed. Sometimes it could be so frustrating working with Peter Burke. Just then he noticed a slight smirk on the older agent's lips, "You know Peter, one of these days…" He trailed off as a 'popping' noise invaded his hearing. Peter had returned his attention back to the screen, but movement in the bullpen had caught Neal's eye.

Something wasn't right – but he couldn't make out what was happening, even through the massive glass window.

Quickly he glanced to his partner, who seemed to be totally unaware that anything untoward was happening. Moving his eyes back to the bullpen, he caught sight of someone walking slowly up the stairs that led to Peters' office. A man appeared in his line of vision - approx 25-35 years old, 6'2", mid-length brown hair, scar down his left cheek – dragging an agent up the stairs with him.

Seeing this, Neal knew that they were in big trouble. The young agent being dragged along was desperately trying to dislodge the arm from around his neck. Neal caught the young man's petrified eyes – they seemed to be trying to tell him something. Suddenly, out of the corner of his eye, he caught sight of an object being raised…Bang!

In the split second from the gun going off to the shattering of the glass, Neal had somehow managed to dislodge Peter from his chair and shove him quite ruthlessly under his desk. As he followed the agent to the floor, Neal felt the bullet part his usually neat hair as it ended its journey in Peter's chair – exactly where the agent had been sitting not two seconds earlier.

"What the…?" He heard from under him.

Bang! Bang! Two shots rang out in quick succession, followed by a thud. 'Must be the shooter' Neal thought.

He managed to get himself off Peter – just in time as Peter had been about to throw him off in his haste to get out and see what had happened.

"You ok Neal?" He threw over his shoulder as he reached the shattered glass of his office window.

"Yeah…" Came the reply.

Peter got to what was left of the window just as the young agent was gingerly pulling himself away from the dead gunman. Peter looked at his fellow agent questioningly – to which the young man nodded that he was alright.

Then Diana and Jones ascended the stairs slowly, their guns still drawn, "Boss?" Diana asked, her voice shaking slightly.

"I'm ok Diana. What the hell happened here?" He exclaimed, trying to make sense of it all.

Before Diana could answer, Peter realised that his normally inquisitive partner was conspicuously absent from his side, "Neal?"

"Hmmm," Came the weak reply.

Peter immediately felt a knot form in his stomach. That didn't sound like the Neal he knew. Even in a situation such as this Peter knew that Neal would have been by his side asking questions. He quickly strode round his desk, to find Neal sat up against one of the legs of the desk, but something looked off. He didn't seem stable to Peter. His face was to pale and his eyes were half closed. He crouched down in front of the younger man quickly trying to assess his condition. Suddenly his eyes widened and his throat caught, "Oh my God…Neal…"

**So that was chapter 1. Any good? Did it make sense? Should I carry on?**

**Love reviews and I accept criticisms, but be gentle I'm still new to this!**

**Thanks for reading.**


	2. Chapter 2

**Thank you to all who reviewed or put this story on alerts.**

**I'm sure a lot of fans will say that Neal and Peter are out of character but this is how I want them for the purpose of this story.**

**I'm not truly happy with this chapter, not sure if the end is slightly weak, but here goes anyway!**

**NB – I'm from the UK so cell phones become mobile phones – sorry!**

**Chapter 2**

"Oh my God…Neal…" Peter trailed as he saw his consultant cast his eyes down towards where Peter had just been looking. He tried to smile, "That doesn't look good…" He ground out quietly.

Peter bit his lip to try to force down the emotions that were starting to grow inside him due to his friend's condition, "How did this happen?"

Neal looked down again at the shard of glass that protruded from his stomach, "Gunman shot through glass – I got down a couple of seconds after you – lots of glass…" He began to list to one side.

"Diana!" Peter yelled, causing Neal to sit up quickly, hissing in pain as he did so, "We need a medic – now! Jones, get in here!"

Diana nodded as she opened her mobile phone. Jones dashed into the office, sensing the urgency in his boss's tone. As he moved round the desk, he noticed Neal all but slumped against the desk leg. Jones knelt down next to the pale man and couldn't help but gasp when he saw the gravity of his condition, "Jones, he's not doing so good, can you sit on his other side to support him," Peter asked as he sat himself down on Neal's right.

Peter felt so helpless. He wanted to grab hold of the glass and pull it right out of Neal, so that they didn't have to keep looking at it, yet he knew that he shouldn't try to take out the offending object, as they didn't know whether anything vital had been severed by the glass. He couldn't have him bleeding out!

"Well this is cosy…I didn't know you swung that way…" Neal joked breathlessly.

Both Peter and Jones chuckled, "Always a charmer," Peter replied.

Jones smiled but that disappeared as he saw Neal's' eyes begin to close, "Neal, you need to try to stay awake."

"M..m… tired…" Neal mumbled, as his head began to move limply from side to side. Peter shuffled round so that he could get his arm around his young friend, to help support him, "We know you're tired but you need to stay awake – just a little while longer," Peter insisted.

Neal opened his eyes slightly, just enough for Peter to see tears forming, which caused his heart to constrict. He hated to see tears in anyone's eyes but to see them in his normally cool, calm friend brought home to the older agent just how much the young man was suffering, "It…hurts Pete…"

Peter managed to pull Neal's head onto his shoulder, lightly smoothing his hair as it lay there, "I know buddy…" Peter's voice almost cracked.

"I'll check on the medics." Jones said as he got to his feet. He knew that Peter had got Neal, so he had to do something as he couldn't bear to hear the pain in his friends' voice.

Peter looked up at him gratefully, "Thanks Jones."

As Jones left the two men, a groan escaped from the younger mans' mouth. Peter found himself shushing him as you would do a child, whilst still stroking his head.

Suddenly he felt Neal's body stiffen slightly, "Neal?" He asked warily.

Neal looked round frantically until his eyes locked with Peters, "Peter…Oh God…are you ok? You weren't hit? I saw the bullet take a chunk out of your chair, I…"

Peter tightened his hold on his friend, "I'm fine Neal. You saw to that. You got me under that desk so fast, I …" Peters throat tightened as the magnitude of what Neal had done flowed over him, "You saved my life Neal!" He finished firmly, a rogue tear tracking down his cheek.

"Peter, medics are here!" Jones interrupted, as he stood by the door.

Peter nodded his thanks as he shuffled round trying to get himself ready to stand. He was stopped by a hand on his knee. He looked at the ashen young man, who was now struggling to stay conscious, "I'm glad I did… I need you in my life…Pete…"

**So that was it! Not sure if I left it in a good place. It doesn't feel right to leave it there but I'm not sure where else to take it. I didn't really want to get into all the medical stuff in hospital. What do you think?**

**I also realise that the glass had to have travelled a long way to hit Neal, but hey it's fan fiction!**

**Thanks for reading.**


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